


Captured Memories

by Stylish_Racoon



Series: Breath Of The Wild AU [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Breath of the Wild Spoilers, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-09-05 19:35:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16817059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stylish_Racoon/pseuds/Stylish_Racoon
Summary: Katsuki wakes up in a pool of water with nothing but his name and one hundred years of the Calamity. He tries to capture whatever memory has lingered, then save the world and his beloved Prince.





	1. Subdued Ceremony

**Author's Note:**

> This is a present for a friend, but they are a good sport and allowed me to post it online. 
> 
> I spent most of my summer in front of Switch playing this game, so I decided to combine the two things I love the most; botw and bakushima. It's the memories of Link and Zelda, but with Baku and Kiri so if you've played botw, then welcome! If you haven't, but know of it or are in the process of playing it, the fic might contain spoilers (I've altered some memories to fit bakushima best, but the essence of the game is the same). If you don't even know what botw is, you're still welcome to read; I've tried my best to make it as reader-friendly as possible.
> 
> **Here is art ([Twitter](https://twitter.com/karmyma/status/1074978841871900672), [Tumblr](http://karmyma.tumblr.com/post/181318306771/he-finally-turned-only-halfway-but-it-was)) I will cry about for the rest of eternity. Make sure to show 'em some love! **

The memory blurred his vision and an inaudible snap transferred him one hundred years ago.   
  
Katsuki could feel the sun above his head and the wind ruffle his hair. The green grass swayed about without a care in the world and the birds chirped their tunes with excessive pride. _Peaceful_ felt short in describing the scenery before his eyes, yet Katsuki was unable to look around and take it all in; he was kneeling on the ground with his head hung between his shoulders, pebbles digging in the soft material of his trousers.

A pair of black trousers ending to a pair of black, horse-riding boots shifted in the middle of his field of vision for the first time.

It was then that he noticed the voice; the very same voice that talked to him after he woke up in a pool of water with nothing but his given name and a pair of underwear -- the voice that filled him in on the tragedy that occurred during the hundred years he was asleep and reminded him how to take care of himself when he was unable to. A familiar, soothing voice with a masculine timbre; a voice he must have heard of for the longest time.

The voice was drenched in sorrow. Katsuki decided he hated it, but he didn’t know why. 

“Oh Hero, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness. You have shown unflinching bravery and skill in the face of darkness and adversity, and have proven yourself worthy of the blessings of the Gods. Whether skyward bound, adrift in time or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight, the sacred blade is forever bound to the soul of the Hero. We pray for your protection and we hope that...” The voice stammered and paused, but only for one second before continuing, “— That the two of you will grow stronger together as one."

A long suffering sigh finished the sentence, and the person in front of Katsuki went quiet. The black boots shuffled on the ground impatiently. 

Then the voice started again, but this time, the chanting mingled with a couple of other voices from the sides.

"Gee, this is uplifting," a voice muttered, rough, like sandpaper, "He makes it sound like we've already lost!"

"Wasn't it you who wanted this official-whatever-bullshit to designate the appointed knight?" another one replied in a snippy tone. Then softer, it added, "And if you ask me, I think this whole thing is a bit overkill. I'm on the same page as the Prince regarding this...boy."  
  
"Oh, give it a rest,” a deep, female voice huffed, “That boy a living reminder of his own failures." There was a pause, a long dejected sigh. "Well...at least that's how the Prince sees him."

Then, there was silence. And a pair of eyes digging holes in his skull.

~*~

  
The memory melted away, leaving him gasping from the intense pain it left on its wake. The Sheikah Slate slipped through his fingers, falling on the ground with an unceremonious thud, while Katsuki clutched his head between his hands, grunting. What the fuck, what the fuck — was he dying? It sure felt like so.   
  
A presence engulfed his mind and the pain eased in an instant. Katsuki let go of the shaky breath he had been holding and his knees hit the ground as he fell. His eyelids grew heavier, drooping shut despite his efforts to keep them apart. The fire he had set earlier crackled next to him, like a word, like a promise of keeping him warm while he slept.  
  
_It’s alright. It’s normal to be in pain — get some rest now._   
  
The voice, the _Prince_ , Katsuki realized through the fog in his brain. The Prince who guided him through the paths he forgot how to cross, the Prince imprisoned in the castle with the pig-nosed jerk for the last century; the son of a King who begged Katsuki to save.  
  
He swore on his life to give the asshole a beating for toying with his body and brain like that, _then_ save him and the world.  
  
Then he passed out.


	2. Resolve And Grief

He was walking in the countryside. The trees were still as green as they could be, tall but their trunks were thin, shading him from the blaring sun. The wind tasted of late summer, of early fall, the sky above his head was clear and blue, but the smell of upcoming rain wafted in the air noticeably.   
  
“If we go this way for about a day, we’ll make it to Goron City.”  
  
Katsuki tore his gaze from the trees. It was then that he noticed the second pair of footsteps mirroring his own, it was then that he saw the other person, a young man around his age, walking within a few steps in front of him. He took in the familiar black horse riding boots and the black trousers, the blue and gold tunic wrapped around broad shoulders, the sheathed sword with the golden hilt dangling from a strong, sturdy-looking waist, but his explorative gaze halted abruptly on the red, red hair on top of the young man’s head. It wasn’t long but it wasn’t short either, perfectly held in a low ponytail. Even from behind, Katsuki could see some stubborn strands defying their binds and falling around the young man’s face, and despite himself, his lips stretched to a small smile.   
  
_How cute._   
  
“Daruk said he managed to control his Divine Beast,” the young man said, “He got it to move a bit. It’s so cool, I gotta see it too! And what do you know, maybe we’ll find a way to make it work better!”  
  
Katsuki briefly thought of calling their horses. His feet had started to hurt. But the young man with the red hair in front of him continued rambling.   
  
“There’s still so much we don’t know about this ancient technology,” he said. He slid the Sheikah Slate in a pouch hanging from his leather belt and reached for the string holding his hair in a ponytail. He unwound it. “If they are made from people though,” he continued, tying the golden string around his wrist instead and the red mane swayed along with his footsteps, “We have to be able to use them too, y’know? It’s only logical, right? What do you think?”  
  
Katsuki let go of a tired sigh and for the first time, he opened his mouth to speak. “I think that if we want to turn Ganon away, then these mechanical bastards can be of help.”  
  
The young man tipped his head back and laughed. It was the most beautiful sound Katsuki had heard in his life.   
  
“That’s the right answer!” he exclaimed, without sparing a single glance over his shoulder. “All these things we’re still discovering about them... it gets me kinda fired up too.”  
  
He stretched his arms over his head and groaned. Katsuki had brought his hands to cup his mouth and call over the horses, but the young man spoke again. “Everything is slowly sliding to place,” he said, “Daruk, Revali, Mipha, Urbosa — they can all somehow manage their Divine Beasts...you too; you’re too good at wielding the legendary sword.”   
  
His steps slowed down until they came to a halt. Katsuki stopped a few steps behind him, dropping his hands to his sides. The young man's silence brought a nasty feeling in his gut.   
  
“Legend has it that,” he said in a voice barely above a whisper, “An ancient voice, a spirit resides within it. An ancient voice that speaks only to the Chosen One.”  
  
He finally turned, only halfway, but it was enough to have Katsuki feel weak to his knees once these eyes held his a prisoner. They were like almonds in the shape and wine in the color, the lashes framing them thick and long, but sorrow was clearly reflected in their depths. The full lips were open in a sigh and pulled in a frown. “Tell me, Hero...” he said and his sharp jawline squared. “Can you hear it yet?”  
  
Katsuki’s heart clenched as the sword on his back whispered to him words of the ancient times. He didn’t speak, but his silence was enough for the young man’s shoulders, the Prince’s shoulders to slouch in defeat.   
  
“I see,” he said and the memory faded as Katsuki clenched his fists. 

  
  
~*~

He gasped as he returned to his body.  
  
His focus, his ability to tell dream from reality lagged for a handful of seconds until his horse blew a raspberry in his ear and brought him back completely. He jumped out of his skin, cursing the fucker for it, but the horse snorted at him almost derisively. 

The aftermath of the memory left bitterness on his tongue. He hated how suddenly they invaded him, he hated how they disappeared on the most important moments, on the moments he felt like he was going to remember more, and he hated how vacant it was after they were gone. He hated that one the most. Because such feeling ceased his heart and made his chest ache, but he couldn't understand why. 

He hated not understanding, not knowing, not remembering.

Katsuki let out a curt huff, mounted his horse and took off.


	3. Resentment

His horse grunted and snorted, but Katsuki snapped the reigns, urging it to move faster. He hated overworking his mount in such a way; it was a good horse, a strong horse, pure bred with chocolate brown fur and black mane. Killer was his name and although it took them a while to like each other, Katsuki took care of him better than he took care of himself. 

But this time, it was an emergency. 

They had coursed through fields and forests the entire morning, stopping at stables and villages to ask if anybody, _anybody_ had seen an idiot with red hair riding the royal white horse around Hyrule. While Killer refreshed himself with buckets of cold water, Katsuki had to undergo the pain of social interaction, to explain each time who he was and why was he looking for the idiot— the _Prince_ , with such zeal. 

_I saw him last making his way to that shrine near the ruins_ , a Rito told him at the Stables and Katsuki had been on board ever since.

Killer huffed in exertion and Katsuki pondered on giving him an endura carrot at the next stop. The road was rocky and unstable, the sun blazing on top of their heads, so it was only normal for the horse to be exhausted. Katsuki pat its neck, comforting, rewarding -- _we have to find Prince Idiot first_ , Katsuki thought in his head and Killer snorted again as if he had heard him.

Scattered ruins appeared in the distance. Killer slowed down, worried he’d trip and fall and Katsuki let him go at his pace until the road was clean again. At the peak of the hill, amongst shattered pillars, laid the shrine, imposing and mysterious, and right in front of that shrine Katsuki saw the familiar mop of red hair attached to a familiar idiot. His bow and sword were thrown on the grass next to him, forgotten. Thank Gods he at least had the mind to put his armor on when he sneaked out of the castle earlier that day.

The Prince’s head turned at the sound of Killer’s thudding hoods. He stood up to his feet at the same time Katsuki jumped off his horse and jogged towards him. Then an ugly, humorless smile made its way to his otherwise angelic face. 

“Your stalker abilities are one of a kind,” he said. 

Katsuki clicked his tongue but held it regardless. He wasn’t supposed to talk back to the Prince, even when he was being a shitty brat.

The Prince sighed, his shoulders dropping forwards. He reached for his sword on the ground and strapped it around his waist, following with the golden bow, gift of his grandmother. “Return to the castle.” 

When Katsuki didn’t move, because there was no way he would move from his spot — not after he wasted the entire day hunting the idiot’s ass — the Prince scowled. “I said, return to the castle; it’s an order.”

“That’s not my job,” Katsuki gritted through clenched teeth. He tried to suppress the shaking of his hands by tying them behind his back and puffing his chest out. 

The Prince quirked both eyebrows. “It’s not your job to follow orders?” 

“It’s not my job to let you romp around Hyrule on your own,” Katsuki said, his tone barely constrained. His job surely wasn’t to follow around a spoiled brat who wouldn’t listen to reason either and yet here he was. “The King’s orders were clear—“

“Regardless of the King’s orders,” the Prince cut him off, “Return to the castle. I’m not in need of an escort.”

The Prince walked by him without sparing him a second glance. Katsuki finally let go of his seething rage with a shaky sigh, turning on his heel and following the Prince against his order. He wasn’t going to listen to an idiot who didn’t realize the constant danger he was in. 

But after only taking a few steps, the Prince paused on his tracks and turned around to face Katsuki. His face was twisted in a nasty scowl, lips pulled in the deepest pout. 

“And stop following me!”

~*~

Katsuki shook his head, as if to clear it for the remnants of the memory. 

He put the Sheikah Slate back in its place and stared at the shrine in front of him. That memory.... it brought him a strange sense of fondness and irritation, of endeared exasperation, yet Katsuki could not understand why.

Katsuki couldn’t understand the longing stabbing him deep in his heart either. He stared at the shrine. It was red in the color and calling for him in its own language.

He walked towards it, ignoring the memory.


	4. A Slap Across The Face

Killer’s galloping echoed in the beginning of the memory. He was in Gerudo desert, his teeth clattering from the merciless cold, rushing after an idiot Prince who had escaped the castle without him once again, but as his appointed knight, Katsuki had gotten used to that. 

What he hadn’t gotten used to was the swarm of Yiga who had tailed said Prince, tore him down from his horse, and had him now in their clutches. They were around thirty in numbers; Katsuki could see their weapons, wind cleavers and demon carvers, as well as lanky idiots with bows and arrows, forming a death circle with the Prince in the middle. It wasn’t the first time they had attempted to assassinate the Prince, but it was the first time they were close to succeeding.

Katsuki snapped the reigns, urging Killer to go faster regardless of the mount’s complaints. 

He unsheathed his sword the moment he saw one throwing the Prince on the ground and stepping on him. With a roar, he swung around once, twice and a blue beam in the shape of a half-moon slipped out of the sword’s blade, taking down three of them. 

All attention was on him at once. Katsuki stood on Killer’s saddle and reached for his bow, stunning every masked idiot holding a bow. The Prince, freed from his binds, lost no chance and lunged at the ones closest to him. Katsuki’s grin at their cries of pain was almost feral. 

He was approaching the scene and he took Master Sword again in his hand. 

He leaped. Then, everything spurred in a haze.

Katsuki stabbed the Master Sword in the ground and panted. He watched the last of them gather their wounded and disappeared to thin air, he made sure no one was left behind before let his muscles relax. He glanced down at his tunic, torn in more places than one; Impa was going to be such a nag when she saw it. 

A loud clatter had him twirling around in vertigo speeds, body coiled in a striking pose, relaxing only when he saw that it was just the Prince. The idiot had fallen on the ground, his breathing labored, his eyebrow bleeding from when an arrow barely missed his head, and his royal tunic probably in the same state as Katsuki’s. 

He glanced at Katsuki, opening his mouth to speak but whatever he had to say didn’t make it out. Katsuki stomped up to him and slapped him across the face as hard as he could.

Then, he exploded.

“You fucking idiot!” He grabbed the front of the Prince’s tunic, bringing their faces close. “This is _exactly_ why I tell you not to fucking leave the castle without me!”

Katsuki shoved the Prince away and the man flopped on the ground with a dull thud, staring at Katsuki, his eyes wide and his mouth agape in shock. Katsuki shook his head, releasing a mixture of a sigh and a scoff through his mouth. “You don’t get it, do you?” he asked, sheathing his sword. “You think this is a fucking game? You think that I’m here to babysit your spoiled ass? Newsflash to you, your fucking _highness_ , I’m here because there are morons like Yiga who try to kill you when you're not looking, you dumb stupid fuck!”

“What would you have done if I hadn't come in time, huh?!” Katsuki yelled again. “You’d have taken them down? Hah! They were thirty! They aren’t Lizalfos or Moblins or shitty Lynels — they are assassins! Specifically trained to kill you!”

“I-I—“

“I-I— _my_ _ass_! You always have something to say about everything, so shut up for once!” Katsuki huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I understand your struggle," he said, softer this time, "I understand why you don't want me here, but going around on your own pretending you can take on the whole world, doesn’t make you more capable.” Katsuki took a step closer to the Prince, jabbing his index on the Prince's forehead. “It makes you a suicidal idiot.”

The Prince hugged himself and lowered his head so he wouldn’t look at Katsuki’s face directly. Katsuki rolled his eyes. “Don’t hung your head,” he said, “Just listen to me for once, you stupid Prince.”

“That’s...” the Prince uttered, “That’s the first time I’ve heard you speak for so long.” He raised his head, eyes shining with mirth. “You raised you voice at me, you called me an idiot, hell, you even slapped me!”

It suddenly dawned on Katsuki what he had done and more importantly, to _whom_. “Well, shit," he muttered, scratching the back of his neck, "You pissed me off and I lost my temper. What is a knight to do when his Prince is a dumb idiot?”

The Prince tipped his head back and laughed, laughed, laughed. He laughed so hard Katsuki thought he had slapped some brain out of him. 

“You’re really as manly as it gets, Katsuki!” he said as soon as he could breathe. “You shouldn’t hide this side of you, actually, I like you much better like this, yeah, I do. And...” He trailed off, standing up. Katsuki watched him carefully as he walked closer to him, his eyes only leaving his face when the Prince offered his hand. “Thank you for helping me out. And thank you for slapping me. It was such a wake-up call; about my duty to this kingdom.” A sigh. “I can’t just die, not yet. So I promise I won’t leave without you again.” 

Katsuki scratched the back of his head, he took the Prince’s handshake, hugely relieved that he wouldn’t have to fight for his life after his rash actions. “All I had to do was yell at you and slap you? Damn it, if I had known, I would have done it sooner.” 

The Prince laughed again and the smile reached his eyes. Katsuki’s chest swelled at the sight. 

“I don’t want a guardian,” he said. He squeezed Katsuki’s hand in both of his and sighed. “I might not be able to hear the voices of the spirit realm yet, but I can surely take some bad guys down on my own.”

“I’m not here to babysit you, your Highness,” Katsuki said. “I’m your knight; your partner, if you wanna call it that.”

The Prince drew in a sharp breath and his eyes rounded in an almost innocent way. He squeezed Katsuki's fingers tighter when he said, “Call me Eijirou.”

Katsuki's lips parted, but only for a split of second. Then he shook his head. “I...I don't think I can.”

“I ask you to, didn’t I?” Then the Prince smiled again, bright and truthful. “Let’s get to know each other, alright _partner_?”

Katsuki was nodding when the memory vanished. 

~*~

Katsuki woke up from the dream with an uncharacteristic warmth in his chest. 

He gazed at the sun rising in the horizon, taking in a deep breath when its first rays caressed his skin. He leaned in the touch when his mount, King of Murder, nuzzled his face and snorted. There were so many things he still didn’t remember, so much he still didn’t understand. But he realized he didn’t hate it. Not anymore.

“Eijirou,” he said, and it was absorbed by the air like a prayer to a greedy God.

" _Eijirou_ ," he said again, easy, like he had said it a million times before. 

Maybe he had.


	5. A Taste Of Nature

Katsuki bent a leg towards his chest, leaving the other relaxed on the green grass underneath him. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes. The sun was so warm already, the birds chirping their enthusiasm, flirting with each other on every other tree branch, while flowers bloomed proudly and the bugs buzzed loudly around him. 

Spring was his favorite season, he decided. 

A grunt, a swift exhale, a sword cutting through the air without mercy, brought Katsuki back to reality. He turned away from the shelter of the sun and opened his eyes -- _he_ was there yet again. The lovely Prince, as the commoners called him; the idiot Prince, as Katsuki called him, with a sword in his hands, attacking the wind with a grace that was both characteristic and uncharacteristic of him.

He had been going at it for a while, hours even. His shoulder-length red hair was tied in a low ponytail, sweat rolling down his sideburns, his forehead, trailing all the way down his back and chest. He was completely shirtless, and for the first time Katsuki realized the scars on his thick arms, the scattered burn marks between his shoulder blades from the time a fire-breathing Lizalfos sneaked up on him. The pale gold of his skin shone with a sheen of sweat and under the sun, it gave him an ethereal glow. 

Katsuki couldn't look away. Not even out of respect of their class difference; not even out of common courtesy. 

He had been watching the Prince closely ever since the incident with the Yiga. Prince Eijirou himself stopped fleeing Katsuki's supervision every chance he got, so they spent more time together than one chasing after the other. They had, Katsuki dared to think, gotten closer too. 

Perhaps...too close.

Prince Eijirou swung his sword around once again and Katsuki's impatience took the best of him. Closing his eyes, he pushed a hand through his hair and huffed. "Your skill is as shitty as your hair," he shouted.

Eijirou stopped mid-swing and turned to Katsuki's direction, blinking at him, then at the sword in his hands, then back at Katsuki. "What am I doing wrong?" he managed between gasps, "I was totally feeling it this time."

Katsuki rolled his eyes as he pushed on the ground to get to his feet. "What the fuck do your teachers even teach you?" he asked as he approached the Prince. "Your hold is too loose and your stance!" He kicked the Prince's legs, only to be more irritated when he swayed off balance. "Fucking weak! I'm not supposed to be able to move you, shithead!"

"I'll have you know I've had the best ones teach me!" Eijirou snapped back.

Katsuki growled, shoving the Prince's shoulders hard enough to have him stumbling again. "Did they go easy on you 'cause you're the Prince? Huh?! Is this why you suck so much?"

The Prince whirled around, snarling as he pointed the tip of his sword at Katsuki. His eyes were alight with fire, raw and hot and unlike anything Katsuki had seen before. A vein ticked on Katsuki's forehead, he knew a challenge when he saw one and the Master Sword was quick to find its way in his hand. He relaxed his muscles, coiling his body into an attacking stance. 

With a flick of the blade, the Prince's sword flew off his hand and fell to the ground with an unceremonious clatter. Eijirou followed it with his gaze, eyes wide and mouth agape. 

"H-How..?"

"You're strong. That's undeniable," Katsuki said evenly. He slid Master Sword in its sheath noisily and walked up to the Prince. "But strong isn't enough; you have to be a boulder, a goddamned mountain." He pushed his fist in the middle of the Prince's chest and when the young man took a step back from the force, he scoffed, "Don't just be _strong_ when you can be fucking unbreakable, damn it."

The same fire lit up the Prince’s eyes again. He took Katsuki’s wrist with both hands, and Katsuki tried to pry his hand away on a reflex, but to no avail. Eijirou’s hold was unwavering. "Thanks,” he said softly.

"The fuck you thanking me for?” he scoffed. “I called you a weak idiot."

Eijirou snorted and shook his head. "You treat me like a diamond in the rough and not like a failure of a heir who also can’t hear the voices of the spirit realm and will probably screw everything over once Ganon makes an appearance.” He massaged Katsuki’s fist until it unwound. Then, he snaked his fingers between Katsuki’s, his skin rough and callused from sword wielding, and with a small smile on his face, he added, “It's refreshing to be treated like that."

Katsuki’s blood rushed to his face. Maybe it was the fondness in the Prince’s face, the soft tone of his voice, maybe it was the fact that the Prince holding his hand that way always had such an effect on him, but all Katsuki wanted was to dig up a hole in the ground and hide until forever. He looked away from the Prince’s face, biting the inside of his cheek. “We need no spirit jerks to kick Ganon’s ass,” he muttered. 

“If you say so, then I can believe it.”

When the Prince let go of his hand, Katsuki’s skin was tingling. He missed the warmth already.

Then, before Katsuki even got the chance to open his mouth to reply, the Prince gasped. "Oh, is that a razorshroom?” he said, jogging up to the roots of the giant tree a few meters to their side. “My science teacher said that some mushrooms, if put under certain conditions, they can give off some special abilities!” he said cheerfully. Then he craned his neck towards Katsuki. “What if eating this makes me stronger?"

Eijirou reached for the mushroom. Katsuki bolted towards him in the speed of light. "Don't eat wild mushrooms, you numbskull! I won't save you if you die!"

The memory started to fade the moment the Prince opened his mouth to bite a chunk off the black mushroom, while Katsuki dove right in to stop him. 

~*~

Reality blurred back in its place. 

The Sheikah Slate switched off from being left unused for so long and Katsuki stared, unmoving, at the ominous-looking castle in the distance. Then a smile crawled up his face and he burst into loud laughter.

That was undeniably his favorite memory by far. 


	6. Urbosa's Hand

The desert was eerily quiet in the middle of the night.

Katsuki shivered when the cold wind brushed the back of his neck. He mentally urged that elevator to move faster and put an end to his misery. Naboris, that stupid camel's entrance was too far from the ground and in his condition, it was making everything worse. Katsuki already hated that beast with unhealthy passion on the good days.

The moon was at its peak in the sky, and Katsuki was tired; tired and sick. And Idiot Prince forgot to return to the castle, unlike what he had promised.

The elevator slowly came to a halt at the belly of the beast. Katsuki took a step off and looked around. The inside of the Divine Beast was closed, which meant that either the guards of Gerudo lied to him because he was male, or Urbosa and the Prince were somewhere outside. 

They were both at the front leg of Naboris. Urbosa was sitting Indian style on an elaborate red and green mat and surrounded by pillows. The Thunder Helm rested neatly by her side, like a charm, while the Prince slept with his head in her lap. As Katsuki's footsteps approached, Urbosa turned her head towards him, her long red hair swayed along with the movement. 

"You sure got here fast," she said in her deep voice. The chocolate of her skin kissed by the sun itself gave her an almost ethereal glow under the full moon, but the devilish smirk playing on her lips brought her down to the world of mortals. "But that's to be expected," she added. "You being the appointed knight and all."

"I'm sure he gave you trouble," Katsuki said quickly. He had no energy for idle chit-chat or Urbosa's merciless teasing; his throat was sore and his head hurt like a bastard.

On the other hand Urbosa sighed a laugh, turning her gaze at the sleeping Prince. "It's always a delight to have him around," she said, "Besides, he was out on a survey, fluttering in and out Naboris all day like a Summerwing Butterfly. Still as the sands now."

Then she glanced back at him over her shoulder. "Tell me, boy. Have you two been getting along alright?"

Katsuki shifted on his feet, avoiding her piercing gaze. "We're good."

She smiled. "He looks up to you, you know. But there's envy in his eyes when you're not looking."

"That's fucking ridiculous. He's got nothing to envy me for."

"That sword on your back," she said, nodding with her chin towards it, "He envies you for that. He envies you for you have fulfilled your duty and he hasn't."

"He's strong," Katsuki muttered under his breath, "He's strong and capable anyway."

But Urbosa continued on, as if she hadn't heard him. "You're a living reminder of his failures," she sighed. "He's learnt how to fight as well as he knows how to heal, he's learnt how to build and demolish, and yes, he is indeed strong and capable, yet the only thing people will remember him by is that he couldn't harness the power to seal Ganon." She shrugged. "That's how he sees this at least. But, you're not to blame either way."

"Fucking peasants. What do they know of his struggles?!"

"I agree with you," her voice boomed over his. "He has once passed out in the freezing water of a spring because he prayed for hours. But he has nothing to show for it; no scars, no wounds." 

She gave the Prince a fond look, then she gently caressed the hair out of his face, like a mother would at her own son. "He's quite special, you know," she said softly and turned her head to stare in Katsuki's eyes when she said, "Be sure to protect him with your life."

Katsuki looked away from her and scoffed, more at the heat that had crawled its way up his cheeks than Urbosa. "You don't have to tell me that."

She smiled at him, but there was a tilt on her lips that hid mirth. "When he doesn't swoon over the Divine Beasts and the Guardians, he talks only about you. You must make him very happy."

Katsuki's heart jumped in his chest and he sputtered, trying to swallow it back down, "I-It's not like fucking _that_ , I--"

"The night brings a chill," she cut him off again as she stared off towards the sand hills. "It's probably time we take him in... Or--"

Without finishing her sentence, Urbosa lifted her arm, turned her palm up and snapped her fingers one. In a distance, thunder ripped from the sky, making the earth rumble underneath them. Katsuki covered his ears and swayed on his feet from the earthquake, and, much like Urbosa had intended, the Prince jumped awake with a yelp.

"Urbosa!" he shouted immediately, voice hoarse, while rubbing his eye, "Why do you keep waking me up like this!"

"Because you don't wake up otherwise, my boy!"

Eijirou pushed both hands through his hair, head turning towards the dark horizon. "Oh, Gods!" he breathed. "It's so late already?!" He scrambled to his feet, fixing his armor and grabbing his sword forgotten behind him. "Katsuki's going to kill m-- Katsuki!" he gasped once their eyes met. "What are you doing here?"

Katsuki reached for his sword. "Killing you." 

But the Prince ignored him, instead cradling Katsuki's head between his palms. "Aren't you sick? What are you doing outside, are you insane?" He pressed his cheek briefly on Katsuki's forehead. "Thank God, you don't have a fever. But you'll only get worse if you stand here in the cold! Urbosa, is it okay to stay here tonight?"

The Gerudo Leader stood to her feet, her armor clattering with each movement. "It'll be a pleasure," she said as she walked up to them. Then she glanced at Katsuki, a smirk finding its way on her face. She said, voice low, "Not like _that_ , huh?"

Automatically, Katsuki punched her on the shoulder. He flushed scarlet and looked away when Eijirou's searching eyes met his. When Katsuki said nothing, Eijirou glanced at Urbosa and frowned. "What are you guys talking about?" When she tilted her head back and laughed, he gasped. "What? What's so funny?"

But Urbosa only kept laughing.

~*~

"So? How does it look? Champion?"

Katsuki blinked at the young, red-haired girl in front of him. He closed his eyes, forcing the fog away from the corners of his brain, then opened them up again. Riju was still trying on the Thunder Helm, waiting for his answer. 

"I, uh," he stuttered. The veil of his headpiece fluttered in front of his mouth, distracting him, so he held it down before he said, "It's kinda big for you."

Riju sighed deeply, shoulders slumping. "I figured. I'm not nearly as big and strong as Lady Urbosa, but I'll surely help you calm down Naboris! I can promise you that."

Urbosa... Katsuki brought back the face of the red-haired champion with the emerald eyes and the knowing smile. _Not like that, huh?_ her voice resided in his head and heat rose to his face. Katsuki groaned, hiding his face behind his hands. There was something she knew, something that sudden memory was trying to tell him, but he couldn't for the life of him understand. 

_What was he missing, damn it?_

"Champion? Are you alright?"

Katsuki took a deep breath, letting his arms flop by his sides. "I'm good. I'll go bring that stupid camel down now."

He had a duty to complete before he got his answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, I loved writing this one! It's the only memory regarding the Champions I've written but I love Urbosa and I also couldn't help myself teasing Baku for his crush on the Prince through Urbosa!


	7. Father And Son

The memory lit up in his mind and the purple haze surrounding the ruined castle blurred out of his vision. There was a swirl of colors, a pull at his brain, his breath knocked out of his lungs, and when Katsuki opened his eyes again, each broken piece was back in its rightful place, and then sun shone bright at the sky above. 

Eijirou walked in front of him in his royal tunic, a black and blue cape draped on his shoulders and swishing gently with each step he took. Half of his hair was tied up in a ponytail, the other half gently touching his shoulders, his crown golden and glowing on top of his head. He held no sword or bow, but he looked strong and imposing. Not like a mere Prince — more like a true King. 

He paused in the middle of the bridge connecting his study tower with the rest of the castle, taking in the sight at one of the gardens underneath; a Guardian Stalker came to life, it’s eye flashing a friendly blue as scientists flocked around it with notepads in hand. 

It was brief, but Katsuki caught the little grin on his face. He found himself smiling a fraction as well. 

“It’s incredible...” Eijirou he turned to Katsuki and beamed, bright like the sun itself. “We are finally getting the hang of them,” he said, “In no time we’ll be able to control them and then use them to seal Ganon away, once it shows up!” He sighed, clenching both hands in front of his chest. “I feel...I feel so hopeful!”

Katsuki smiled at him, at his joy, at his happiness. He opened his mouth to speak, to call Eijirou a sap, a dumbass, an idiot, but a voice, deep and gravely, boomed right over theirs.

“What are you doing here, Eijirou?”

Both Katsuki and Eijirou turned at sound, but where Eijirou straightened up, Katsuki kneeled in an instant, bowing his head. It was what he was supposed to do each time he saw the long red hair, the strikingly red beard and the royal tunic, a copy of the one Eijirou wore. 

He wasn’t allowed to look at the King directly, unless ordered to. 

“Father,” Eijirou said sternly, “I was assessing the results of the experiments with the Guardians. It seems we are advancing quite well, so as soon as the Calamity shows itself again—“

“I know that,” the King cut his son off curtly, “But what are you doing assessing results when you still have an unfulfilled duty to your kingdom? Could it be that you have forgotten?”

Katsuki was staring at the ground, but he could feel Eijirou go rigid next to him. “I have not forgotten, Father,” he said. His voice was wavering. “It’s just that—“

“Just what, Eijirou? Avoiding your responsibility is such a way is unsightly.”

Eijirou gasped. “I am—certainly not avoiding my responsibility, Father!” He shifted on his legs. “Can’t you see? There’s nothing more I can do! Only last week I was at the spring of Courage, offering every ounce of my prayers to the Gods—“

“Enough’s enough!” the King shouted. “I allowed you to learn the arts of sword and bow, regardless of the hours it took off your spiritual training, but I’ve had enough!” 

Katsuki only fractionally lifted his gaze when they King’s footsteps approached. Eijirou’s hand was curled in a fist, but he held his ground. “Father—“

“I forbid you,” the King said lowly, “To waste any more time playing scholar and warrior, and I command you to focus on your training. We are running out of time, don't you understand?”

Everything inside Katsuki was burning with rage. Because of Eijirou’s stiff stance, because of the pain that was bound to fill his eyes as soon as the King left — because he hated the mess the King made of his own son for a mere _prophecy_. But he wasn’t allowed to move a single inch, or his life might be in danger. Or more importantly, Eijirou’s life would be in danger. 

“You know what the gossip mongers whispers amongst themselves?” the King asked, but without waiting for answer, he said, “That you’re the heir to a throne of nothing — nothing but failure. It is woven into your destiny to prove them wrong. Is that clear?”

There was a long pause. Then a broken, “Yes.”

The King said nothing else before he left. 

Katsuki stood to his feet as soon as the red-haired man was out of sight. In an instant, he grasped Eijirou’s wrist and dragged him back to the study tower, slamming the door shut behind them. Then he truly looked at him, at the Prince, at _his_ Prince, and his heart sunk all the way to his stomach. Tears were already streaming down Eijirou’s eyes, lower lip clamped between sharp teeth and jaw trembling. He slid his hands up Eijirou’s arms, holding tight when reaching the shoulders. “Don’t,” he whispered, “Don’t listen to a word he says.” Then he pulled Eijirou in his arms, willing his own tears not to overflow. He shouldn’t let his anger get the best of him. 

“You’re a diamond,” he said, “Not a failure.”

Eijirou said nothing. He grabbed the back of Katsuki’s tunic and a broken sob left him. 

~*~

The wrenching pain in Katsuki’s chest lingered, even when the memory faded. Guardians flew around them without noticing him yet and he gasped, he tried to breathe, but he only choked on the tears. 

That man — that man who gave him the paraglider and begged him to save his _beloved_ son from the clutches of the Calamity, that very same man reduced _him_ , Katsuki's Prince in such a state. 

A Guardian noticed him and to relieve his surging rage, Katsuki turned it to screws and gears before he escaped the castle. 


	8. Slumbering Power

The stars shone bright in the moonless sky and the crickets were buzzing with life, basking in the night breeze after spending their day scorching under the summer Hyrule sun. Their song mixed with the gentle sound of the water sloshing in the spring, bringing a pleasant atmosphere of tranquility in such an isolated place. 

Katsuki stood at the marble patio in front of the pond, sword in hand, his back facing the statue of the Goddess. He had been standing in the same spot, with the same position since before dusk, yet was still alert, still on guard, still looking out for any incoming enemy attempting to harm the only thing that mattered to him. 

_He_ was there, in the middle of the pond with the water all the way up to his waist, muttering prayers under his breath and offering his dedication to the deaf ears of the spirits. And Katsuki could do nothing; nothing but admire his courageous soul and stay, night and day, by his side. Because that’s where he was supposed to be. Because that was where Eijirou needed him to be the most. 

Katsuki released a long breath, relaxing his stance but only in the slightest. Then a loud splatter echoed above the soft whistling of the trees and water, and Katsuki turned on his heel, gripping the hilt of his sword. But it was no enemy, no guardian that spotted them; Eijirou, still half-submerged in the pond, though his hands were not cradled in a prayer, but curled to fists by his sides.

"Curse you," he scoffed with spite, "Curse you, you stupid power!"

His voice broke at the end and Katsuki's heart grew heavier in his chest than the sword weighted his palm. Times like this he felt useless the most -- when he couldn't protect the one he wanted to protect the most.

"Is it because I'm a man?" Eijirou asked, his head turned to the quiet statue of the smiling Goddess. "Is that it? Is that why the spirits have been ignoring me all this time?" He hugged himself and sighed. "No, it can't be. My grandmother saw it in her dreams; I was to inherit her power. I was destined to seal Calamity Ganon away."

"So why?!" he shouted. "Why is no one answering to my prayers?!"

Katsuki couldn't see his face but he could hear the tears and despair in Eijirou's voice. He clenched his teeth together, but held his ground. He didn't step in.

Then Eijirou looked up at the starry sky. A loud sob broke past the seams of his lips. "Just tell me..." he whispered shakily. "What's wrong with me?"

Katsuki was stepping into the pond before his mind gave the command to his body. He grasped the back of Eijirou's ceremonial tunic to yank him out of the pond. "That's enough."

But Eijirou resisted moving. "No," he sniffled, "I'm not done with the ritual yet."

"Yes you fucking are."

"Katsuki."

They were then facing each other, Katsuki holding onto Eijirou's tunic and Eijirou squeezing Katsuki's forearm. Their eye contact never wavered. Katsuki hated the tears that poured out of the Prince's eyes, he hated the King, he hated the Gods and the Spirits, but he hated himself most of all for not being unable to help. He took a deep breath, holding it all in. Then he exhaled, "Eijirou." 

Thunder crackled, low but imposing, rolling across the tips of the trees and rattling the ground. Eijirou gasped and Katsuki wasn't sure it was because of the thunder or his name on Katsuki's tongue. 

Around them, rain clattered on the surface of the water mercilessly.

They found shelter under three perfectly positioned boulders outside of the spring. Soaked to his bones, Katsuki retrieved a pair of plain trousers he carried with him for times of need and handed it to the Prince. Eijirou gave it a long stare before shaking his head. "I don't want it."

"Put it on damn it, you're half naked."

"I'm fine."

He was hugging his knees to his chest and shaking violently, but the stubbornness that always characterized him remained relentless. Katsuki sighed dejectedly. He took the top of his tunic off as he made his way next to the Prince, sliding down and leaning against the boulder too. He inched as close to the Prince as he could, threw an arm around his waist and pulled him in, splaying the plain trousers haphazardly over both their laps. 

Eijirou lifted his head to look at him, but he said nothing. Katsuki pushed his nose in the fabric of Eijirou's tunic, inhaling deep and exhaling slow, saying nothing. He had to wait out the storm to pass. 

"You always care for me," Eijirou broke the silence first, "Thank you."

"And you never listen to me," Katsuki retorted, "I don't fucking thank you."

For the first time, the Prince dared to chuckle. "Your dedication is quite something." He sighed, the smile leaving his features. "Your dedication to everything is admirable -- sword wielding, bow, martial arts... No wonder you're the Chosen One."

Katsuki pushed the thick strap of Eijirou's tunic aside until his lips found the softness of his skin. Eijirou shivered, but not because of the cold. He sought out Katsuki's hand on his waist and slid his fingers on top. 

"I'm sorry I broke down like that."

Katsuki shook his head. "Don't apologize."

"It's frustrating," Eijirou said quietly, "I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong, I don’t know why I can’t be like the Champions, like you — why, why, _why_?!” A sigh. “I don't think I'm capable--"

The low rumbling of the thunder shook the earth underneath them, effectively silencing the Prince. Katsuki moved the strap back in its place, resting his chin on top of Eijirou's shoulder. "Even the weather wants you to shut up with this bullshit talk already."

Eijirou snorted. "I am pathetic, aren't I?"

Katsuki shook his head. “Not pathetic. You’re angry. And it’s okay to be angry," he said calmly, "It's okay to feel your anger to its fullest; but it's not okay to break."

Eijirou was silent and Katsuki tried to soothe him by running his fingers up and down his arm. He toyed with the goosebumps his touch left on its wake, stimulated the skin further until all hairs had risen to attention. Then Eijirou shifted in his embrace, turning so that they faced each other. They were close, sharing breaths.

"Then that’s what I’m going to do," Eijirou whispered, "I'm not breaking, I’m not giving up hope. Not yet.” He fixed his lips to a thin line. “There's still the spring of Wisdom." 

Katsuki pushed wet red strands of hair away from Eijirou's forehead. "At Mt. Lanayru," he said.

Eijirou nodded. "I've visited the springs of Courage and Power already, so maybe I need the third spring to unlock the power within me." A sigh. "I'm not deluded enough to think that it will surely change things, but it won't hurt to try, right?"

Katsuki shook his head, his fingers weaving their way in Eijirou's hair. He grabbed a fistful and tugged ever so slightly, watching through half-mast eyes Eijirou's lower lip tremble in a gasp. 

"Lanayru's decree is very specific," Eijirou breathed, "No one under the age of seventeen is allowed, for only the wise are permitted upon the mountain." 

He gazed deep in Katsuki's eyes, sighing on Katsuki's lips and Katsuki licked them to taste him. His fingers tightened around Eijirou's hair.

"I'll be seventeen this fall," Eijirou said, "Will you come with me?"

Katsuki let out his breath quickly only to take another deep inside of him. His heart was beating fast, ready to break free of the cage of his chest and land in Eijirou’s hands, because it was where it belonged. He closed his eyes. He took one more steadying breath and opened them again, his face losing its momentary softness and his fierce expression resurfaced. He was a warrior about to declare an oath. 

"I'll follow you to the end of the world."

Eijirou lowered his gaze and laughed breathlessly. Red crawled up his cheeks. 

Then he erased all distance between their faces. 

~ * ~

When Katsuki woke up, his lips were tingling.

He strapped the Sheikah Slate on his belt with one hand, the other reaching for his mouth. The statue of the Goddess stared back at him with a hint of smile on her face and Katsuki gasped as a number of questions had just been answered in his head; why his body and soul longed every time the Prince made an appearance in his dreams, why that voice in his head brought him peace like no other, why his heart leaped for the heavens at the mere thought of the Prince's face.

Katsuki blushed from his head to his toes. He turned to his mount and quickly straddled it. Suddenly, he was in a hurry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I combined a few memories for this one to fit the plot :3c The last scene of the memory, where they are all cuddled up, is my favorite out of all I've written in the whole fic! Hope you like it too!


	9. The Return Of The Calamity

The walk to the foot of Mt. Lanayru was quiet. While Nature was already wearing her autumn colors, the leaves slowly drifting away from the trees and the birds chirping at each other out of enthusiasm, the air between Eijirou and Katsuki was colder than the freezing temperatures at the peak of the mountain. They hadn’t talked since Eijirou lost himself in his prayers at the spring, but the slump of the Prince’s shoulders and the hollowness in his eyes as soon as he exited the holy grounds told Katsuki that they didn’t have to. The news weren’t good. For anyone. More so for Eijirou’s anxiety.   
  
Katsuki felt useless. He simply followed his Prince two steps behind, unable to come up with anything but a bunch of half-assed comfort words Eijirou didn't deserve, because he deserved _better_. So he kept all of his thoughts to himself until they reached the eastern gate of the mountain. There waited the Champions; Daruk, Revali, Urbosa and Mipha — all in uniform, all on guard, their faces lightening up as soon as they spotted them.   
  
Daruk was the first one to approach, the ground shaking a little from the heaviness of his footsteps. “Well?” he issued, his big eyes focusing on the Prince. “Don’t keep us in suspense! How did it go?”  
  
Katsuki had opened his mouth to tell the gentle giant to shut up, but Eijirou shook his head. He saw all of them stiffen noticeably, Urbosa throwing him a side-eye to which Katsuki nodded. Then she sighed.   
  
“You didn’t feel anything?” Revali then asked. His feathers fluttered as he stepped closer to Eijirou. “No power at all?”   
  
Eijirou looked at the Rito Champion, then shook his head again. “Nothing. Just silence.”   
  
“Then let’s move on,” Urbosa’s deep voice boomed, “You’ve done all you could and feeling guilty or sorry for yourself won’t be of help. It’s not like your last chance in awakening the power was at the mountain. You just have to keep looking for that...thing that’ll do it.”  
  
Eijirou didn’t even lift his gaze from the ground. He just shrugged his shoulders and sighed. “You’re too kind to me, Urbosa.”   
  
“If I may, Your Highness,” Mipha chimed in with her soft voice, stepping in close enough to have Eijirou look away from the ground at once. She wasn’t as tall as him and she looked much younger, regardless of the fact that she was one hundred years old. “I don’t know how much this can be of help,” she said, fins swaying as she shook her head, “I’m actually quite embarrassed to say it — but I was thinking about what I do when I’m healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind...” She trailed off and her gaze locked with Katsuki’s for only a second before looking back at Eijirou, “It helps when I think—when I think about—“  
  
Her softly-spoken words were abruptly cut off from the loud rumble shaking the earth underneath their feet. Katsuki swayed on his feet, but rushed to steady Eijirou as he too lost his balance, his other hand reaching for his sword. Revali soared to the skies in an instant, but it didn’t take them long to see the purple clouds rapidly swallowing the blue sky from the ground too. Katsuki’s stomach pummeled in his belly and he glanced at Eijirou, only to see him staring back with terror in his eyes.   
  
“It’s here,” Urbosa said as soon as Revali landed.   
  
“This is it then,” Daruk echoed, turning his gaze on each one of them.   
  
Mipha gasped. “Are you sure?”  
  
Revali straightened his back. “Positive.”  
  
Eijirou took a step forward, eyes glued to the darkening sky. “It’s awake,” he whispered shakily, “Ganon is here!”  
  
Thunder clattered and Eijirou gasped.   
  
“Let’s stop wasting time,” Daruk shouted over the chaos of sounds, “We’re gonna need all we have now to take Ganon down. Champions! To your Divine Beasts!" Then he turned to Katsuki, pointing at him with a thick finger. "You will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack. This needs to be a unified assault if we want to earn some ground."

He heard Revali snort by his side, but Katsuki decided against making him bird skewers with the Master Sword. Instead, he clicked his tongue. "Stop saying things I already know, you sack of rocks! Now, you listen to me!"

Ignoring him, Daruk added, "Little guy — you and the Prince return to the castle. You can both count on us for support. But as we are now, it’s up to Katsuki to pound Ganon into oblivion.”  
  
Urbosa stepped in and handed Eijirou his sword and bow. She strapped them upon him, upon the ceremonial tunic which wasn't meant for battle, but it was all they had now. She clasped his shoulders and shook him lightly. “Your Highness," she said sternly. "You have other means to fight, so don’t ever give up!”  
  
Eijirou set his jaw and nodded. “I won’t. Even if that’s the last thing I do.” 

At the curt wave of Eijirou's wrist, the Champions disappeared, each one to a different direction. The sky was getting darker above him, a purple that reminded Katsuki of waste, of sickness, of something disgusting that was Calamity Ganon. With the corner of his eye, he caught Eijirou staring at the sky too, hands curled into fists by his side.

He walked up to him, coaxing that fist open and sliding his fingers in between. Eijirou didn't look away from the sky when he said, "This is it, huh."

Katsuki nodded, following his gaze. "Are you scared?"

"Terrified."

Katsuki was too. How couldn't they be? He squeezed the hand in his until it stopped trembling. "We are strong," he said and he believed it.  
  
Eijirou then turned to him, features set and steady. He took a deep breath and exhaled through the mouth. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”   
  
“That’s my line, stupid,” Katsuki snorted.  
  
“Katsuki." He cupped Katsuki's face, a trembling thumb going over Katsuki's cheek in a soothing attempt. "I’ll be your spear and your shield — you are our final hope.”  
  
Katsuki kissed him hard on the mouth one last time before taking off with him by his side.


	10. Despair

His boots slapped on the wet ground, noisy and heavy from the rain.

Katsuki cursed under his breath and he pushed his body to exceed its limits. His armor was soaked with water and dirt, giving him extra weight on the one he already carried on his shoulders; the spirits in the sword hummed words of urgency in his mind, mingling with the rumbling of the earth and the splattering of the rain -- they were all so loud. Everything was so loud.

The world was crumbling; the castle had fallen, towns were in ruin, the Divine Beasts tight under Ganon's control and Guardians on their tail, ready to vaporize them with laser. Katsuki squeezed Eijirou's hand in his, urging him to run faster. They had to free the Divine Beasts, they had to--

Eijirou's hand slipped away and Katsuki halted abruptly on his tracks. He turned at the Prince, only to see him collapse on the ground and gather his knees towards his chest. "It's all over," he said shakily, hiding his face.

Katsuki sheathed his sword and kneeled in front him, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Nothing is over yet. Not as long as I'm alive. Now get your ass up, we have to get going!"

"Don't you see, Katsuki!" Eijirou erupted and it was then Katsuki noticed the tears streaming down his face. "I have failed! I failed everything and everyone, and now--" his voice broke from a sob. "Urbosa, Mipha, Revali, Daruk -- they are all trapped inside their Divine Beasts and fighting for their lives, all because I couldn't harness this fucking power!"

"And so you're giving up?!" Katsuki shouted, now shaking him violently. "We knew shit was going to be bad, Eijirou! We fucking knew the battle was going to be tough!"

"I am not like you!" Eijirou screamed back, a new round of tears overflowing from his eyes, "I am not strong or calm or level-headed! I haven't fulfilled my duty, I was never fucking made to control that power to begin with! All the prophecies -- everything was for the shit! And now Ganon -- Ganon has taken over everything; the Beasts, the Guardians..." He hiccupped, closing his eyes. He exhaled, shakily, "I wish I had never been born."

Anger, pain, anguish -- it all seeped out of Katsuki's eyes and he tightened his grip on Eijirou's shoulders. "Please," he whispered, "Please don't say such a thing. Please don't despair."

Eijirou opened his eyes slowly and the pain mirrored in their depths was a stab through Katsuki's chest. "And what should I do?" he asked, without breath, without life. "My friends, my people, my kingdom, my father... I left them all to die." He touched Katsuki's face, thumbing tears and rain away. "So tell me," he whispered again, "What should I do?"

Katsuki didn't say anything. He pulled the Prince in his arms, holding him tight as he fell apart like the world around them.


	11. Awakening

The rusty gears rattled as it stopped moving, its eye flashing red and blue until all of it turned gray. The Guardian sizzled to its demise on top of the already existing pile of its kind, purple essence vacating its unmoving body and dissipated to thin air. _Ganon_ , Katsuki thought, Ganon’s blight was finally out of it.   
  
It was then that his knees gave out and he fell on the ground, the Master Sword his only support, but heavy like lead in the palm of his hand. Guardian Stalkers were still creeping about, unaware of his existence hiding behind Guardian ruins, but safety was only factual for a couple of seconds in such a battlefield. 

How was it possible that things turned to that much shit? 

A red point was on him once again, and Katsuki glared at the stupid eye flashing blue and red at his presence. He counted the seconds as it charged, readying himself to flee the very last second when an arrow cut through the air next to his ear. It hit the Guardian directly in its eye, stunning it long enough for Katsuki to yank the Master Sword out of the ground and leap with a loud yell.

The Guardian ceased to move. Katsuki fell to his knees again, panting.   
  
It was then he heard the voice. The voice he knew so well, the voice who guided him every step of his way, a pure melody in this cursed graveyard of blood, sweat and Guardian parts -- his favorite voice; it was calling his name.   
  
With difficulty, Katsuki craned his neck to see him, _him_ , cutting the legs off another Guardian with his sword, then stun him with another arrow until he finally dug his sword in its eye with a resonating battle cry, bringing it to its death. There were wounds on his body, bruises and cuts oozing with blood on his arms, neck, face, his beautiful face, and Katsuki hated himself during these times the most, when he saw him bleed, when he saw tears leak out of his eyes, when his voice cracked under the pressure of the world he always carried on his shoulders, when his eyes looked at him brimming with worry.   
  
Because he was the only thing he ever wanted to protect. Fuck the kingdom, fuck his title of the Hero, fuck the world, the sun, the universe — _he_ , was the singular most important thing existing. _Him_. The prince. _His_ prince.   
  
Eijirou was running towards him, losing his footing from the fatigue, but stopping nowhere unless it was near Katsuki. He kneeled behind Katsuki, close enough to feel his red, red, red hair tickle his neck, an almost mockingly tender detail in the midst of the chaos developing around them. 

“Katsuki,” he called again. His arms slid under Katsuki’s armpits, “Listen to me for once and run!”  
  
There was panic in his voice, in his touch, as he tried to pull Katsuki to his feet, but to no avail. “C’mon, get up! We have to go!”   
  
He said it as if it was the easiest thing to do.   
  
“I’ll be fine, I am fine, so don't fight anymore! Don’t worry about me!”  
  
The ceremonial, white tunic he had worn during their visit to the spring of wisdom was now scorched and torn in more places than one, and Katsuki’s self-hatred intensified when he saw the burn marks on the Prince's chest -- because Katsuki failed to protect him from the Guardian which pointed and fired mercilessly.  
  
“I won’t fucking leave you, stupid,” he croaked with difficulty. “You’re not wearing your armor, I—“  
  
“It’s not your duty!” Eijirou screamed and pulled, pulled, pulled and failed to lift him again. “It’s not your duty to die for me!”  
  
It _was_ his duty, according to the King. But for Katsuki it was merely a choice, and he chose to die if that meant protecting the only thing that mattered to him in that world.   
  
With the corner of his eye he saw another one snake its way towards them, climbing over the dead bodies of its mechanical brethren to reach them. It was close, its laser pointing directly in the middle of Katsuki’s head and Katsuki grunted, cursed, despised with passion his limbs that wouldn’t move, but with a final cry, he yanked the Master Sword out of the ground.   
  
He teetered on his feet, Eijirou the only thing keeping him upright, and readied himself to leap.   
  
One second too late. It had already charged.   
  
_Was this how he was going to die?_  
  
“No!”  
  
He was pushed behind a body, a strong body dressed in white, like an angel, like a spirit of the sort inhabiting the Master Sword. Katsuki stumbled, he lost his balance but he stayed on his two feet and the Prince, his Prince, his _Eijirou_ shielded him with his body.   
  
Eijirou reached out towards the Guardian just when Katsuki reached for Eijirou’s tunic, to grab him, to stop him, what the hell was he doing protecting him, he was the one who should be protected —  
  
A bright, warm, pure white light enveloped the entire field. Katsuki shielded his eyes with his forearms as they strained from the light’s intensity, but all of a sudden everything was still; everything was quiet, nothing in his body hurt, his myriads wounds felt as if they were closing all at once. He wasn’t afraid. He was warm, sheltered, _safe_.  
  
The light disappeared as quickly as it appeared and Katsuki opened his eyes, only to see the lurking machines sizzle to a halt and drop on the ground, broken and dead. He glanced at the Prince, his shoulders rising and falling in a quick pace, his arm still outstretched as the Guardian he protected Katsuki from was crumbling in front of his feet.  
  
“Was that..?” Eijirou uttered. He examined the palm of his hand with wide eyes. “Was that the power...”  
  
Katsuki knew; he had just been saved. His Prince had just saved him.

And suddenly, everything started to ache again. Dark invaded the corners of his eyes, just as he had mustered a smile full of pride. He held on to his sword, his pillar, its voices humming foreign things to him as the ground suddenly was too close to his face. His eyelids had grown heavy like lead and his consciousness was slipping, but he held on regardless. He held on because of the voice calling out his name; it was filled with despair.   
  
“Katsuki!” Eijirou cried, “Please God, no -- Katsuki, get up!”  
  
Katsuki cracked one eye open, but all he could see was a blur of red hair and brown eyes. He blinked, forcing himself to focus, to breathe, to not die just yet because the Prince, _his_ Prince, had something to tell him still. A hand was supporting the back of his head. Fingers were caressing his cheek in the most tender way possible. “Katsuki,” Eijirou whispered shakily, “My love, please don’t... Gods, please no, not him too!”  
  
It was as if he knew these cracks in his voice would resurrect Katsuki from the dead at any day, because the moment he said these words, Katsuki forced both of his eyes open. Eijirou was crying, his tears thick and heavy on his eyelids, and Katsuki would give his right arm and leg to never see them on his eyes again.   
  
He reached out, to cradle Eijirou’s face, to wipe away the tears, the pain, the blood and dirt, but he only, _only_ reached halfway.   
  
His consciousness slipped away one second too late for Eijirou's scream to rattle his soul.   


~ * ~

  
Katsuki came about with a twitch.   
  
He stared down at the Sheikah Slate in his hands for a few seconds only before his whole body started to shiver. Angry tears slipped through his closed lids, angry because he finally knew, he finally remembered, everything, all that had happened a hundred years ago, and he understood, he finally understood what he had been missing this whole time, that valuable piece of the puzzle from his memories, because he wouldn’t do all this just to save the world. No, not _just_ the world.   
  
_Katsuki.  
_  
The voice, that voice, that soft, smooth voice embraced the corners of his mind and soothed his choking sobs.   
  
_Katsuki, my love. You’ve finally recovered all of your memories of us. It sure took you long enough, dumbass.  
_  
There was only humor in his voice and Katsuki croaked a laugh in between his sobs. “ _You’re_ the fucking dumbass,” he said roughly, even though he knew no one could hear him.   
  
_I am waiting at the castle, Hero_ , the Prince said again. _It’s_ _time to put an end to this pig-nosed idiot._  
  
Eijirou’s presence disappeared from his mind, despite Katsuki’s desperate endeavors to keep it there. He sighed through the stabbing pain in his chest and attached the Sheikah Slate on his hip once again. The wind was harsh, as if it was going to rain, but it was washing away the rainstorm from Katsuki’s face.   
  
He reached for the sword hanging on his back, relishing the metallic sound it made as it came out of its sheath. Its energy filled him to the brim, the voices of the spirits humming in his mind, cheerful, encouraging, so he dried his eyes and took a step towards the ominous-looking castle.   
  
His love was waiting for him.


	12. Epilogue

A beam soared towards the sky after Katsuki delivered the final blow. He watched it as it shone above Ganon's weakened form, he heard the beast's cry as it cowered from its intensity. Then the beam started to move, to encircle Ganon's substance until it formed a bubble around it.

The light grew brighter. Katsuki closed his eyes.

Then with the slightest of whistles, everything was gone.

When Katsuki opened his eyes again, the sky was bright blue again. The purple clouds had nearly vanished and Ganon's form was nowhere to be seen.

A figure stood right there, in the middle of the large field. A soft glow surrounded the figure, but even that slowly dissipated to thin air and Katsuki saw that familiar ceremonial tunic, the golden sword strapped on his waist and that red hair he loved so much, falling to his shoulders and swaying along without a care in the world to the gentle breeze.

"I watched over you all this time," the Prince said. His back was still facing Katsuki, even when he approached. "All your battles and struggles. Even the shitty elixirs you tried to make -- you were always so bad with those."

Katsuki rolled his eyes. He sheathed the Master Sword. "Like you're one to talk."

Eijirou finally turned around and Katsuki stopped breathing. He hadn't changed at all; his angular face, the fire in his eyes, the pearly white teeth that made his smile blinding -- all of it was the same. "I knew you'd come back and beat the shit out of Ganon," he said. "It was the only thing that kept me going all these years."

He hugged himself, his smile falling when he said, "May I ask... Do you remember me?"

Katsuki took him in, the wheat color of his skin, his broad frame, the pout of the lips he loved to kiss so much one hundred years ago. He let out a sigh, his guard dropping and tears leaking out of his eyes at once. He ran towards his Prince and the Prince waited for him with his arms wide open.

"I guess that's a yes," Eijirou said, breathless and quivering.

Katsuki held onto him, almost tearing Eijirou's tunic in his despair. Hot tears were seeping through the fabric, and the dirt from Katsuki's face was rubbing off, but he couldn't care at that moment. "I missed you," he uttered.

"I missed you too, my love," Eijirou whispered and his voice broke. He pushed his fingers in Katsuki's hair and held on with just as much passion. "You fought well."

"Sorry it took me so fucking long."

"But you came. I knew you'd come."

He pulled out of the embrace to regard Katsuki's face. His eyelashes were heavy with tears, his eyes wide, full of longing, taking Katsuki in as if afraid he'd disappear. "Gods," he whispered, "You're so beautiful. My memories didn't do you any justice."

Katsuki flushed scarlet. "Sh-Shut up, stupid."

Eijirou laughed and slanted his lips on top of Katsuki's. One hundred years later and Katsuki still forgot how to breathe.

"We have a lot of work to do, so much we have to repair," Eijirou breathed once they parted. He pressed their foreheads together and sighed. "But I do believe we can bring the kingdom back to its former glory, and even take it one step further. So? Will you follow me?"

Katsuki weaved his fingers in red hair and held on. Tight. He had said it before and he'd say it again, for the next hundred years. Maybe even more. Maybe he'd keep saying it all the way to their next life.

"I'll follow you to the end of the world."

Eijirou smiled, bright and amiable, and the words of the Great Deku Tree came to Katsuki's mind. _He has a smile like the sun. I would do much to feel its warmth upon me once again_. Katsuki wasn't sure what the Tree would do, but he would go through Hell and back for that smile.

And so the sun shone above the kingdom once again, after one hundred years.

**Author's Note:**

> If I misused the tags or forgot to add any, educate me. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> PS: *whispers* Don't forget to look at the art and shower the artist with love! [Twitter](https://twitter.com/karmyma/status/1074978841871900672), [Tumblr](http://karmyma.tumblr.com/post/181318306771/he-finally-turned-only-halfway-but-it-was)


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